Various sensors can be implemented in electronic devices or systems to provide certain desired functions. A sensor that enables user authentication is one example of sensors to protect personal data and prevent unauthorized access in various devices and systems including portable or mobile computing devices (e.g., laptops, tablets, smartphones), gaming systems, various databases, information systems or larger computer-controlled systems.
User authentication on an electronic device or system can be carried out through one or multiple forms of biometric identifiers, which can be used alone or in addition to conventional password authentication methods. A popular form of biometric identifiers is a person's fingerprint pattern. A fingerprint sensor can be built into the electronic device to read a user's fingerprint pattern so that the device can only be unlocked by an authorized user of the device through authentication of the authorized user's fingerprint pattern. Another example of sensors for electronic devices or systems is a biomedical sensor that detects a biological property of a user, e.g., a property of a user's blood, the heartbeat, in wearable devices like wrist band devices or watches. In general, different sensors can be provided in electronic devices to achieve different sensing operations and functions.
Fingerprints can be used to authenticate users for accessing electronic devices, computer-controlled systems, electronic databases or information systems, either used as a stand-alone authentication method or in combination with one or more other authentication methods such as a password authentication method. For example, electronic devices including portable or mobile computing devices, such as laptops, tablets, smartphones, and gaming systems can employ user authentication mechanisms to protect personal data and prevent unauthorized access. In another example, a computer or a computer-controlled device or system for an organization or enterprise should be secured to allow only authorized personnel to access in order to protect the information or the use of the device or system for the organization or enterprise. The information stored in portable devices and computer-controlled databases, devices or systems, may be personal in nature, such as personal contacts or phonebook, personal photos, personal health information or other personal information, or confidential information for proprietary use by an organization or enterprise, such as business financial information, employee data, trade secrets and other proprietary information. If the security of the access to the electronic device or system is compromised, these data may be accessed by others, causing loss of privacy of individuals or loss of valuable confidential information. Beyond security of information, securing access to computers and computer-controlled devices or systems also allow safeguard the use of devices or systems that are controlled by computers or computer processors such as computer-controlled automobiles and other systems such as ATMs.
Secured access to a device (e.g., a mobile device) or a system (e.g., an electronic database and a computer-controlled system) can be achieved in different ways such as the use of user passwords. A password, however, may be easily to be spread or obtained and this nature of passwords can reduce the level of the security of passwords. Moreover, since a user needs to remember a password in accessing password-protected electronic devices or systems, in the event that the user forgets the password, the user needs to undertake certain password recovery procedures to get authenticated or otherwise to regain the access to the device or system. Such processes may be burdensome to users and have various practical limitations and inconveniences. The personal fingerprint identification can be utilized to achieve the user authentication for enhancing the data security while mitigating certain undesired effects associated with passwords.
Electronic devices or systems, including portable or mobile computing devices, may employ user authentication through one or multiple forms of biometric identifiers to protect personal or other confidential data and prevent unauthorized access. A biometric identifier can be used alone or in combination with a password authentication method to provide user authentication. One form of biometric identifiers is a person's fingerprint pattern. A fingerprint sensor can be built into an electronic device or an information system to read a user's fingerprint pattern so that the device can only be unlocked by an authorized user of the device through authentication of the authorized user's fingerprint pattern.